Safe-cabinet construction.



A. H. SCHAFFERT.

SAFE CABINET CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET I Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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APPLICATION FILED APR. 5.1915. 11 1641 1Q3. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4. v

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ADOLF H. S OHAFFER'I, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL FIRE- PROOFING COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SAFE-CABINET GOll'STBIl'CTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLF H. SCHAFFERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Safe- Cabinet Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the sub ect of metal furniture, and more particularly to fireproof sheet-metal safe construction to provide an improvement therein which renders the same better able to withstand the heat of fire, while at the same time fully adapting the structure to modern ofiice requirements.

A serious objection which has been found to the ordinary sheet metal safe cablnet constructions is the inability thereof to withstand severe heat, as in the case of fire, because they involve joints and seams of such a character, and so located and exposed, as to easily gap or open when the metal expands, thereby greatly reducing the practical value and safety of the cabinet.

Some devices of this kind involve a prac-' tically sealed outer shell with an interior shell of built-up non-integral sections, wh ch readily open up at the jomts when excesslve heat expands the outer casing, thus exposing the interior or storage compartment to the fire. Accordingly, the present inventlon pr1- marily contemplates a novel and practical safe cabinet construction which includes inner and outer shell members whose only metal-to-metal contact is at the front'edges thereof. -This arrangement is particularly advantageous since it afiords a substantially single continuous metal-to-metal contact within the doorway, and brings the few sealing points in such position as to be readily protected by insulating material, and also by the safe doors themselves. That is to say, the invention proposes to utilize two box-like shell members of cubical form, which are of relatively different dimensions and adapted to be assembled in telescopic relation with their only point of contact at and within the doorway partly formed by flanged front edges of the outer shell.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction at the points of contact between the two shell members which not only provides means for holding Specification of Letters Patent.

the inner shell member in position within the outer shell member, but at the same time makes it possible'to utilize insulating material to the best advantage to provide an efiective seal to prevent heat from reaching Patented Dec. 14, 1915. Application flied April 5, 1915. Serial No. 19,292.

or affecting the point of attachment between the shells.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and substantial construction that is susceptible of a practical commercial embodiment, involving an exterior casing having an open side or doorway, the edges of which doorway are formed with novel stepped casing flanges, certain of which have abutments that serve to lock the inner casing or shell in position when the outturned flanges thereof are snapped in behind the same.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the safe cabinet of a type embodying the details of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the safe with the doors thereof opened. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective View showing a cross section through one of the sides of the door-case. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the complete outer shell and complete inner shell separated; illustrating the door-case formation at the front edges of the outer shell, and the open or slitted front corner portions of the inner shell structure. Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 respectively designate the outer and innershell members which may be made of a number of plates to provide a box-like structure of suliicient size. These plates are rigidly andpermanently united at their meeting edges by welding or equivalent means to provide a unitary structure.

' The outer box-like shell member 1 is referably-of cubical form, and consists of ack, side, top and bottom plates, (1,6, 0, and d, in one or more pieces, and all of which are rigidly united at their meeting edges by welded or equivalent joints. The sald top, bottom and side plates are formed with a front inturned marginal flange 3 which is rebent at its inner edge to provide an inturned bead or lip 4:. This construction provides a continuous internal seating groove 4 within the beaded flange 3 and extending around the inside edge of the doorway, the side portions of said groove receiving therein the securing flanges 5 of the inwardly projecting side members 6.6 of the doorcase. The top and bottom portions of the said groove 4: receivethe securing flanges 5 of the complemental top and bottom members 7-7 of the door-case. These members 6-6 and 7-7 when fitted in place and Welded together into the outer shell or otherwise rigidly united, provide a complete doorcase at the front of the cabinet. The said door-case members 6 and 7 are of a stepped formation as will presently appear.

Each of the side door-case members 6 is struck up into substantially the stepped formation referred to, and in addition to having its outer edge portion shaped to provide the securing flange 5, is pressed out at an intermediate portion to form a guard rib 8. This guard ,rib which projects into the doorway is of substantially rectangular form in cross section, and is preferably provided with a beveled face 8 to facilitate the sliding of the flanged edge of the inner shell into a locking position, as will more readily ap' pear from an examination of Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawings.

At the rear side of the projecting guard rib 8 of each side door case member 6, the

latter is formed with a relatively deep keeper recess 9 opening into the doorway, and the inner edge portion of the said door-case member is rebent to provide the abutment flange 10 which has an interlocking and seal-' ing connection with the front flange portion of the inner shell member, as hereinafter pointed out.

The top and bottom door-case members 7 are substantially similar in construction to the side door-case members 6 with one essential exception, and that is with respect to the guard ribs 8 which are omitted from the said top and bottom members. Accordingly, it will be noted that the said top and bottom ,door-case members 7 are provided with the same outer and inner flanges 5 and 10 as the side members 6. Intermediate these flanges 5 and 10, each top and bottom door-case member 7 is provided with an abutment shoulder 11 for the door, and with a keeper recess or groove 9 connected with the abutment shoulder 11 by an inclined ledge 12 which assists in guiding the upper and lower flange portions of the inner shell into looking relation to the recess 9. The recesses 9 of the top and bottom door-case members 7 correspond to and are practically continuations of the keeper recesses 9 1n the side door-case members -As already indicated, the inner shell member 2 is provided at all of its front'edges with outturned holding flanges 13-13. The outturned flanges 13 at the front edges of the sides of the inner shell member are formed at their outer edge with outturned anchoring beads or lips 14 which are adapted to have an interlocking engagement within, and to be seated and sealed directly against the bottoms of, the keeper recesses 9 at the sides of the door-case. The holding flanges 13 provided at the front edges of the top and bottom plates of the inner shell member are stepped to provide shouldered bead portions 15 which hook about the inner flanged edge portions 10 of the top and bottom door-case members, said are seated within the keeper recesses 9 of the said members of the door-case. In brief, it will be observed that the flanged front edge portions of the inner shell member overlap or hook over the inner flanged edge portions 10 of the door case, and also engage in the side, top, and bottom keeper recesses 9 and 9* of the door-case.

With the two shell members constructed as described, it is simply necessary to telescope the inner shell member within the outer shell member, and then weld or otherwise seal the joints between the meeting parts of the said members. In this connection, it will be observed that the lateral beaded flanges 13 of the inner shell member must unjoined or unconnected, as at 16, for a suflicient distance inwardly, forming playslits whereby the flanged front edges of the inner shell are permitted to have a spring play, sufficient in extent to admit of the operation described of seating the lateral flanges 13 in the side keeper recesses 9, and the top and bottom flanges 13 into the keeper recesses 9 of the upper and lower members of the door-case. When the two shell members have been thus assembled, the unjoined corner portions 16 are welded or otherwise permanently sealed, as well as the entire oint between the flanges 13-13 and the door-case members. It will thus appear thatthe entire sealed joint between the two shell members is effected at and within the doorway of the cabinet, being therefore most advantageously located so as to have the added protection of the doors against being affected by the extreme heat of a fire.

In connection with the seating and sealing of the flanges 1313, and 1313, in the door case, a further feature of practical importance resides in placing an asbestos or equivalent insulating strip '17 over the flanges 13 and 13 seated respectively in the keeper recesses 9 and 9, as will plainly appear from. Figs. 3 and 4: of the drawings.

This provides additional heat insulating. protection for the joint between the front edge portions of the inner and outer shell.

The doors 18 and 19 are of hollow construction, consisting of outer and inner wall members 20 and 21, and are hinged as at H to,the marginal facing of the outer shell member 1. At their hinged edge portions, the said doors are of a stepped and shouldered formation to produce a keeper recess 22 receiving and interlocking with the guard ribs 8, and a locking projection or rib 23 engaging and interlocking with the lateral keeper recess 9. This-produces an inter: locking engagement between the hinged edge portions 0 the doors and the side door case members which affords additional security against the entrance of fire as well as protecting the door from being forced or pried from its hinges when the same is in a closed position.

At the top and bottom, each door 18 and 19 is provided with a sealing recess or groove 24 which receives and interlocks with the projecting beaded portion 15 of the inner shell member at the top and bottom thereof. Also at the top and bottom, each of the said doors'is provided with a projecting rib 25 that enters and interlocks with the top and bottom keeper recesses 9*9 of the door case. At their meeting edges, the doors are complementally formed, that is each has a stepped formation which includes alternate locking projections 26 and keeper recesses 27 mating with the corresponding elements of the other door. In

connection with the meeting edges of the v door, a protective heat insulating asbestos or equivalent strip 29 may be inserted in one of the keeper recesses. I

The construction herein described forms a stable and rigid structure which provides a chamber or space A entirely around the inner shell member 2. This space is preferably occupied by any suitable arrangement of heat insulating and fireproofing materials which may be arranged so as to provide a suflicient heat insulating and fire retardant medium to protect the contents of the inner shell member 2.

lVithout further description, it is thought that the many features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent, and it will of course be understood that various changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A metal cabinet construction, comprising a closed outer shell unit provided at its open side with a door case, and a unitary inner shell unit telescoped within the outer shell unit and provided at its open side with edge portions sprung into interlocked engagement with the door case.

2. A metal cabinet construction comprising a unitary outer shell unit open at its front side, a door case carried by said outer shell unit within the open side thereof, and a unitary inner shell unit telescoped within the outer shell unit and provided with edge portions sprung into interlocked engagement with the door case.

3. A metal cabinet construction, comprising an inner unitary closed shell unit open at its front side, a door case carried by the outer shell unit within its open side, and a unitary closed inner shell unit having an open side and provided about the edges of its open side with flange portions sprung into interlocked engagement with the door case.

4. A metal cabinet construction compris ing a closed outer shell provided with a door case of stepped formation, and an inner shell telescoped within the outer shell and provided with, front flanged portions interlocked with the door case within the door opening.

5. A metal cabinet construction comprising an outer closed shell provided with a door case having projections and keeper recesses, and an inner shell having front its front side, a door case carried by the outer shell unit within its open side and provided with inwardly projecting ribs and with keeper recesses in rear of said ribs, and a unitary inner shell unit telescoped within the outer shell unit and having a flanged front edge sprung past the ribs into interlocking engagement with said recesses.

7. A metal cabinet construction comprising an outer shell having a door case whose side members are provided with projecting ribs and keeper recesses at one side of the ribs, and whose top and bottom members are provided with keeper recesses, and an inner shell having at its front edges top and bottom flanged portions seating in the keeper recesses of the top and bottom door case members, and lateral flanges sprung past the ribs of the side door case members lnto locking engagement with the adjacent 5 keeper recesses. r

8. A metal cabinet construction comprising an outer shell provided with a door case having keeper recesses, and a closed inner shell having flanged front edge portions having a sealing engagement within said recesses, said inner shell having unjoined front corners forming play-slits admitting of a spring action to permit telescoping of the two shells.

I 9. A metal cabinet construction comprising an outer shell provided with an inwardly extending shouldered door case, and an inner shell having a slitted flanged outer edge presenting pro ections sprun looking engagement with the oor case.

10. A metal cabinet construction comprising an outer shell provided with an inwardly extending shouldered door case, and

' an inner shell having a flanged outer edge presenting-projections sprung into interlocking engagement with the door case, said into interinner shell having unjoined front corner portions.

11. A metal cabinet construction comprising an outer shell provided with inturned flanges at its front edges, a shouldered door I case seated within said inturned flanges of the outer shell, and an inner shell provided with slitted flanged front edges interlocking with the door case. 12. A metal cabinet construction comprising an outer shell provided with inturned flanges at its front edges, shouldered door case members provided with flanged front edges seated within the inturned flanges of the outer shell andalso provided with flanged inner edges, andan inner shell rovided with flanged outer edges hooked a out and interlocking with the inner flanged portions of the door case-members. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ADOLE H. SOHAFFERT.

Witnesses:

O. D. KAISER, ELSIE C. S ALL. 

